Metallurgical process.



0. B. DAWSON.

METALLURGIGAL PROCESS. APPLIUATION FILED Nov.1e. 190s.

936,095. Patented out. 5, 41909.

UMTED STAWENT oFFicE.

CEILIVIE'IIB'` B. DAWSON, 0F EL PASO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOI T0 AMERICAN REDUCTION 85 REFINING COMIANY, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CGRTOMTION '0F SGU'TH DAKOTA.

y To all lwhom it l:may concern:

IETLLURGICAL Pm.

Speelea'ton of Letten Patent.

Patented Get. 5, 1909.

vhiplicatzion filed November 16, 190B. No. 462,879.

' of Texas, vhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallurgical Processes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to .make and luse the same.

The object of this invention is to produce l a simple and highly efficient process for reducing minerals to metals.

Specifically it contemplates an improvement upon the metallurgical process covered by Letters Patent of the vUnited States No.

I829,57 5, issued to me August 28, 1906.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the above noted patent I disclosed a .process of reducing minerals and ore to metal ofthe non-carbid group Without the use of flux and at a temperature below the temperature of fusion of such metal by the reduction action of finely divided carbon and the nascent carbon monoxid produced at the instant of reduction of the by-product gas, carbon dioxid, in the absence of air.

The furnace must be internally heated to the critical temperature of reduction. Thel ground sulfd ores will-be first desulfurized by the application of an oxidizing flame and a limited introduction of heated air currents. Combustion is increased until the o re body reaches a temperature of approximately 14000 F. Thereupon the furnace is closed as against the entrance of air, and

the charge is ready for the reduction agent. According to my present invention I use as this reduction agent carbon monoxid which I have found to'be the principal reducing agent when brought into contact with the incandescent ores in the absence of all air.

This is due to its power of penetrating the mass, and by takin the oxygen from vthe mineral the minera molecules are broken,

leaving metal particles and gangue. This gas may be introduced in any suitable manner. i e

It is immaterial how the carbon monoxid is produced, nor is it essential that it should be the only gas introduced tothe incandescent ores. Preferably I use water-gas, the proportion of hydrogen present in thelatter being in nowise detrimental, but on the contrary isbenefcial, but to what extent is problematic. Y

After the mineral has been reduced to a metallic state the furnace is again opened up and the heating agency re-applied. A charge of granular carbon, preferably cokedust, is introduced into the furnace. This commingles with the gangue and metal particles and very materially assists in quickly raising the temperature up to the fusion point of such particles, the carbon serving to continue the reduction throughout the mass. In this way the particles of metal are fused and so condensed as to prevent their ioating durin the subsequent waterconcentration, and a loss is avoided.

The apparatus shown and described in my l before noted patent may be employed for carryin out the rocess, but preferably when sllghtly modified, as shown in the ac companylng drawing wherein- Flgure 1 is a vertical `longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 2 is an enlarged end view of one of the port closures. Fig. 3 is a crosssectional view thereof. Fig. 4 1s a face View of the firing end.

As pointed out in my before noted patent,

the furnace shell 1 is brick-lined and at one end -opens into the dust chamber 2, which end may be tightly closed by a cap 3 which is manipulated by a screw rod 4 mounted in bracket 5, thelatter serving as a guide for the cap.- The shell is shown as having flanges 6 which bear onrollers 7, and also as having a circular rack bar 8 which is driven by gear9 of the operating machinery. The tiring end has a cap-plate 10 through which the gas-supply pipe 12 is centrally passed, and this pipe is surrounded by a circular series of air ports 13, each of which, as well as the portvof the gas pipe, may be tightly closed by caps'll having flanges for locking on circular walls 15 surrounding the several ports.

I claim as my invention 1. The herein-described process of immediate reduction of ores of metal which do not form carbids, consisting in heating the ores to incandescence subjecting the incandescent ores, at a temperaturebelow. the fusion or volatilizin polnt of the contained 2. The herein-described process of immelio diete reduction of ores of metal which do not the same to the temperature of fusion of the 10 form cabids, consisting in heating the ores metal.

to incandescence subjeetin the incandescent In testimony whereof, I havesignedthis ores, at a temperature be ow the fusion or specification-in the presence of two subscrib' 5 Volatilizing point of the contained metal, to lng witnesses.

the reducing action of carbon monoxd in GLIVERB. DAVSN.' he absence of air and flux, and then intro- Witnesseg: ducing granular carbon into the incandes- FRANCIS'S. MAGUIRE,

cent mass after reduction, and then heating JOHN A. MURPHY. 

